1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to connectors, and more particularly to a connector having a latch mechanism for preventing the connector connected at an end of a cable from being disengaged from a connector fastened to the body of an electronic device.
Recently, there has been considerable activity in down-sizing of electronic devices and improvement in the functions thereof. For these purposes, it is required to arrange a plurality of connectors arranged with a high density on, for example, a back surface of an electronic device. In terms of maintenance of electronic devices, it is necessary for an arbitrary connector to be able to be pulled out. Further, in order to improve the reliability of connections of the connectors, it is necessary to prevent the connectors from being disengaged even when the connectors are erroneously pulled.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional plug-in connector 1 provided at an end of a cable 2. The plug-in connector 1 is equipped with a pair of latch springs 3 and 4 located on the opposite sides of the plug-in connector 1. The latch springs 3 and 4 function to prevent the plug-in connector 1 from being disengaged from a jack connector 6.
Referring to FIG. 2 in addition to FIG. 1, plug-in connectors 1, 1A and lB are engaged with jack connectors 6 fastened to a backboard 5 of an electronic device and arranged side by side. Claws 3a and 4b formed at the tip ends of the latch springs 3 and 4 engage recess portions 7 and 8 of the jack connectors 6. As shown in FIG. 1, operating units 3b aand 4b for disengaging the claws 3a and 4a from the recess portions 7 and 8 are provided on the opposite sides of the plug-in connector 1.
As indicated by a two-dot chained line shown in FIG. 2, the operating units 3b and 4b are held by fingers 10 and 11 of an operator so that the claws 3a and 4a are pulled out from the recess portions 7 and 8 whereby the plug-in connector 1 is switched to a lock released state. Further, by pulling the connector 1 with the operating units 3b and 4b being held by the fingers 10 and 11 towards the operator, the connector 1 is pulled out from the jack connector 6.
However, the conventional plug-in connector 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has the following disadvantage. As shown in FIG. 2, it is necessary to provide spaces 12 and 13 into which the fingers 10 and 11 of the operator can be inserted in order to hold the operating units 3b and 4b. Normally, the size A1 of the spaces 12 and 13 is as large as approximately 10 mm. Hence, a plurality of plug-in connectors 1 (jack connectors 6) cannot be juxtaposed with a high density.